Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition – Console REVIEW

Today, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo re-released its “classic” console, but in a more compact form.

The demand is VERY high for this product, and it is extremely hard to come by at the moment. Amazon sold out of units in approximately 10 seconds, and most stores that carry them (Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Toys R’ Us, Gamestop), sold out upon opening their doors. eBay prices are rising to as high as $1000+, and selling for about $300. I managed to pick one up by waiting in front of Target an hour and a half before opening, and there were enough people in line to sell 3 times their actual stock.

If you didn’t manage to get one, or didn’t even know this product existed, don’t fret. Nintendo confirmed that more units are in production, and will be available for the holiday season.

The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition system is a hot item, and we are working hard to keep up with consumer demand. 1/3

All 30 of the installed games are classic gems, and if you haven’t played them, they are certainly worth your time. They all control exactly like they did on the original NES, and it would be very difficult to tell the difference if there is one. The games are very authentic to their originals, and no changes have been made to any of them.

Although there is no cartridge slot for additional games, 30 of the best NES titles are pre-installed.

Unlike the original NES, you are able to save your position in all of the games. This is very useful for some of the more difficult titles.

Exiting a game requires you to press the reset button on the console, which was how it was done on the original.

CONSOLE:

The consoles main selling point is its size, and their not kidding when they say its small. It fits easily in the palm of your hand, making it one of the most portable game consoles available.

The two buttons on the front of the console are very clicky, just like the original NES. This is a good thing however, and makes it comfortable to press.

The build quality of the console is very good. It’s plastic shell seems to be crafted well enough to not damage the unit. It’s material feels fairly cheap, however it is made of Nintendonium, so I’m not worried about it.

Exactly like the original in every way, including size and shape. The console was decreased in size, however; the controller did not change at all.

Despite being somewhat small, it’s still very comfortable to hold and use. It’s buttons are positioned properly, and make a satisfying click when you press them.

Just like the unit itself, the controller is very durable, as it is also made of nintendonium.

My only complaint with the controller, and really the only complaint I have about the whole system, is how short the controller’s cord is. Reaching only two feet, it makes playing games on the couch somewhat difficult if you have a large living room. 3rd party companies have released extension cables for the NES Classic Controller however, and I will be buying one in the near future to make my retro gaming easier.

INTERFACE:

The NES Classic’s interface is very user friendly and easy to use. There are multiple options to customize your experience. This includes three different display options for all of your games;

CRT Filter – Makes your screen look like an old 80s television.

4:3 – Normal mode. Aspect ratio of 4:3.

Pixel Perfect – Makes the colors more vibrant, and the edges sharper.

All 30 of the games are easily accessible, and start very quickly upon opening.

Over all, the NES Classic Edition was an excellent purchase. For its low price of $59.99, I would strongly recommend buying one, especially if you grew up with the original NES in the mid/late 80s.